Cornell University researchers have developed a groundbreaking waste management system for future NASA missions, potentially revolutionizing astronaut hygiene and mission efficiency. Inspired by sci-fi “stillsuits” from Dune, the prototype filtration system can transform wastewater, including urine, into drinkable water in just five minutes.
Currently, astronauts rely on uncomfortable adult diaper-style garments within their spacesuits to manage waste. This new technology, however, employs osmosis to filter urine, ensuring a continuous supply of clean drinking water through a vacuum-based external catheter linked to a forward-reverse osmosis unit. Designed with multiple safety features, it prioritizes astronaut wellbeing during extended lunar spacewalks, addressing the limitation of the current one-liter water supply in in-suit drink bags.
Sofia Etlin from Weill Cornell Medicine elaborated on the system’s design, emphasizing its potential application in NASA’s Artemis program, aimed at returning humans to the Moon. Before deployment on actual missions, rigorous testing in simulated microgravity conditions will validate its efficacy, promising improved astronaut comfort, hygiene, and overall mission effectiveness.